Agree completely, and, at the tender age of 50, I do not want to be written off as an old crank either. BUT, let's create a "reasonable noise level value" index that covers price to decibels ratio. After all, expectations at McDonald's are different from expectations at Susur.

My two recent candidates, given $ 400 per couple with wine, tax, and tip, for worst are ONE at the Hazelton(middling food, sloppy service, and painful noise in a very handsome room--tried three meals and will not return until there are substantial changes, and I am sure there will be) and Colborne Lane(fabulous food, sloppy service, and, if possible, even MORE noise than ONE...

Compare and contrast last night at Via Allegro in the burbs...the same $ 400 per couple, (very very good, if not terribly imaginative, food, served FLAWLESSLY, in a quiet and spacious room. With really, really bad art. )

We eat out more often than in, sometimes with friends, sometimes for business, and NEVER as a couple. So being able to hear our companions is essential. Why restaurants don't cater to us? The owners like to look at pretty young people instead of fat rich old ones? They think we only have a few more years of mobility, whereas their 30-ish crowds will be patrons for the long term? How about that there is so much money in Toronto that good restaurants can be choosy, and by turning up the noise, they attract the young crowd? I note that all of the above places are busy every night of the week...

And why DON'T young people mind the noise? Are they not interested in conversation? Are they already deaf? TV with meals at home?